so, they say they are going to cut $500 billion out of medicare. really? with the number of old people growing? don't believe it. host: washington, d.c., and time on the republican line. caller: good morning, thank you for c-span. two quick questions. one was, i needed more of and collaboration on why unemployment would be so high -- more elaboration on white unemployment would be so high on the gold standard. and instead of the bailout, wouldn't it make more sense to give more tax credits to people so they could stay in their homes and meet mortgage requirements? guest: let us talk about unemployment under the gold standard first. if you say that your policy will keep the price of gold fixed at a certain play -- price, like the old $35, that means that whenever the dollar starts to weaken, you have to pump in money and that will make the economy expand. but when the dollar starts to go down you have to take money and you have to deflate. when you deflate, the first effect falls on employment. so the economy slows down. that is the idea of maintaining -- d